Avoiding Catastrophe
by deadeb03
Summary: Kurama has enrolled in Yusuke's high school, but the point of him being there may not be just for the education.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"I still don't see why you insist on dragging me out of bed every morning," Yusuke complained. He stretched his arms high over his head and yawned deeply. "I mean, it's not like I stay there all day anyway."

"But if I didn't come to get you, you wouldn't show up at all!" Keiko snapped, giving him a little shove in the back to get him walking again."

"School starts too early. What if I promise to come after lunch?" he asked hopefully.

"Then I'd probably never see you," she said, almost too quiet for him to hear.

They were almost like boyfriend/girlfriend, and yet kept a respectable distance from the other. A straight A student and a tough thug...a strange couple if ever there was one.

"Yusuke." "Keiko." They both stopped and laughed at the way they'd spoken at the same time.

"Go ahead," Keiko said.

"I was just going to say," Yusuke began, scratching the back of his head nervously, "I can't promise I won't get called away from school, but I will promise not to skip out on purpose."

Keiko smiled warmly, knowing he would keep that promise just for her. "Thank you, Yusuke."

"Now, what were you going to say?"

"Just..." she turned back the way they'd been headed, "...isn't that your friend, Kurama?"

Yusuke looked in the direction Keiko indicated and was shocked to see the red-haired demon leaning casually against the brick wall around their school. His head had been down, but just then he looked up as if sensing their presence. His sharp, green eyes picked Yusuke out of the milling crowd of kids on the way into school and he gave a small grin.

"Kurama!" Yusuke called out enthusiastically. Keiko wondered if he hoped there was a job awaiting the Spirit Detective so he'd have a legitimate excuse to leave classes.

"Hello, Yusuke," Kurama said as he walked towards them, hands in his pockets. "Hello, Keiko."

"Hi, Kurama. What are you doing here?" Keiko asked.

Yusuke pounded one fist into the other palm in anticipation of some action. He'd been getting bored and restless waiting for Koenma to contact him. Fights in the Human World were starting to feel like beating up on small children.

"Things in Spirit World have been pretty slow, and there's nothing for me to do." Kurama said. "Koenma told me I might as well return to the Human World and go back to school. If this quiet time lasts, I'll need to be able to support myself here...at least until I'm able to return to my true demon form permanently."

"I've been telling Yusuke the same thing," Keiko said, rounding on Yusuke with her hands on her hips. "See? Even Kurama is sensible enough to understand you can't earn a living as a Spirit Detective."

"All right! All right!" Yusuke said and threw up his hands in defeat. "But why here? Why not go to the school closer to your own house?"

"My mother got remarried. As much as I like her new husband, they deserve time alone. So I've got my own apartment. Besides," he gave a pointed look and grin in Yusuke's direction, "I thought school would be more...interesting...here."

Yusuke laughed heartily. "With you here it sure will be! Keiko, you may get your wish. With Kurama at school, I'll definitely show up! I've never had class with a demon before."

"But I don't think he wants that advertised," Keiko said, looking around to see if anyone had overheard him.

"Even though no one would believe that particular piece of information, I believe it would be wise to keep it from being public knowledge," Kurama agreed.

"Oh, no!" Keiko cried. "We're going to be late!"

The three joined the other groups of students rushing for the door, hoping to make it to class before the tardy bell sounded. "I'll see you two later," Kurama said. "I have to go to the office first."

"I'll show you where it is," Yusuke offered.

"You get to class," Keiko ordered. "As class president, I have every right to be late if I'm escorting a new student around."

"So now you're an escort service?" Yusuke grumped as Kurama and Keiko walked down the hall together toward the office. He didn't know why it bothered him, but there was a cold lump in the pit of his stomach. With a frustrated growl, he headed the other direction toward his homeroom.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Urameshi, are you sleeping already?" Mr. Nakatu asked from his perch on the edge of his desk.

"Just restin' my eyes, Teach," Yusuke answered without opening his eyes. "I'm all ears."

Yusuke liked Mr. Nakatu. He was the youngest teacher in the high school, and the most modern. Which was probably why he ended up in this particular room. Yusuke would bet his last yen his junior high principal, Mr. Takenaka, had something to do with it. He'd understand the only possible way to keep Yusuke coming back to school was if he found it remotely interesting and wasn't being constantly pressured. It was also likely he made sure Keiko was assigned to the same class as well, even though she would have easily handled the stricter teachers. Mr. Takenaka was the only adult at Sarayashiki Junior High who ever saw the good in Yusuke and knew he was capable of becoming more than just a common street hood. Sometimes Yusuke wondered how his old principal would react if he knew of his true occupation and powers.

At the sound of the door opening, Yusuke cracked one eye, then sat up, fully awake, as Keiko and Kurama entered. "Ah, there you are Miss Yukimura," Mr. Nakatu said. "And who do you have with you?"

Keiko handed him a piece of paper and then took her seat. Kurama remained standing, head down, just inside the door while the teacher read the principal's note. "Class, it seems we have a new student," Mr. Nakatu began, gesturing for Kurama to join him at the front of the room. "This is Shuichi Minamino. Now, I expect you all to make him feel welcome here in Room C."

Kurama seemed oblivious to the glares of jealousy from the boys because of the starry-eyed smiles the girls were giving the new kid. He gracefully slid into the vacant seat beside Yusuke.

"Shuichi?" Yusuke leaned over to whisper to him.

"That is the name my mother gave me," he whispered back with a sly grin.

Yusuke gave a snort of laughter which earned him a raised eyebrow from Mr. Nakatu. He knew school was going to be a lot more entertaining with Kurama around.

The morning passed quicker than Yusuke could ever have imagined. He had no idea what was being taught because he was too busy watching his classmates. Several of the girls attempted to get Kurama's attention, but his eyes were either firmly on the teacher or his schoolwork. Small, folded notes found their way onto his desk, but these he slipped, unopened, into his pocket.

The boys were nearly as bad as the girls, though their intentions weren't quite as hospitable. Yusuke noticed a couple whispering as they shot angry looks towards Kurama. When one girl missed an easy question because she'd been staring avidly at the new boy, her boyfriend made a fist so tight his knuckles cracked and he broke the pencil he was holding in two places. All in all, Yusuke was having a blast!

The lunch bell rang, but instead of fleeing the classroom, everyone gathered around Kurama.

"Hi. Can I call you Shuichi? My name is Miho."

"Hey, Shuichi, do you want to share my lunch?"

"What kind of a name is Shuichi?"

"Just wait until the upper classmen get a look at that hair."

"How long do you think he can keep it that long?"

"Do you play shouji?"

"Do you like to read?"

"Why don't you all back off and let him breathe?" Yusuke said, interrupting the constant barrage of questions. "Give the guy a break, why don't ya?"

"That's all right, Yusuke," Kurama said, earning a small gasp from the crowd.

"You're on a first name basis with Urameshi?"

Kurama gave Yusuke a sidelong glance, but didn't reply.

"Are you students going to go to lunch or not?" Mr. Nakatu asked, heading for the door himself. "You do know that lunch period starts at the sound of the bell, not whenever you get around to leaving the room."

Kurama's admirers reluctantly drifted away with their lunch boxes, and he was allowed to escape the room, following Keiko and Yusuke to a remote table under a large tree. Keiko and Kurama opened their neatly packed box lunches while Yusuke perched on the edge of the table, sneaking bites from both.

"So how many notes did they manage to slip you?" Yusuke asked, popping one of Kurama's grapes into the air and catching it effortlessly in his mouth.

Kurama emptied the pockets of his coat and pants, dropping them into a pile in the middle of the table. With a sigh, he reached into the collar of his shirt and the back of his neck to pull out two more. One more note appeared from the cuff of his pants.

"Whoa! What a haul!" Yusuke whistled in appreciation. He pawed through the notes, laughing at the heart-felt confessions of his female classmates.

"That's not nice," Keiko said with a frown. "Those are personal and not meant for you to read."

Yusuke fanned himself with a note written on neatly folded, red paper. "I don't think I'm old enough to read this one. Think you can handle it, Kurama?" He waved the note in front of Kurama's eyes as he made a grab for a riceball.

"I'm not interested," Kurama said, easily evading Yusuke's attempts at stealing his tuna.

"Why don't you ever bring your own lunch, Yusuke?" Keiko slapped his hand away from the last piece of boiled egg, so he snatched a piece of pineapple from Kurama's lunch, instead.

"But I could never make anything half as delicious as you guys." He took a long drink from Keiko's juice and settled himself on his back in the grass, hands behind his head. "You've made quite a first impression, Kurama. You've got all the girls drooling over you and all the guys itching to beat you up. I don't mind admitting, I'm a little jealous. Maybe I should try switching schools. Bet I could get just as many if I tried."

Keiko crushed the empty juice can in her fist, barely restraining herself from throwing it at Yusuke's head. "As many what?" she managed between clenched teeth. "Girls drooling or guys wanting to beat you up?"

"Well, girls of course. Ouch! What was that for?" Yusuke rubbed the can-sized bump forming on his forehead.

"Hey, Urameshi. Keiko," Kuwabara greeted them with a wave. He stopped short and did a double take. What are you doing here, Kurama?"

"Shuichi's going to be attending school here," Keiko said, welcoming Kuwabara's intrusion. Quickly, she turned and grabbed her bookbag. "I've got to get going. I've got an activities meeting after lunch period. See you later, Shuichi." She escaped before any of them could even wave.

"Was it something I said?" Kuwabara asked, gaping after Keiko's hurried departure.

"No," Kurama assured him. "I believe it was Yusuke."

"As usual," Yusuke huffed.

"Hey! Wait a minute!" Kuwabara said suddenly. "What did Keiko call you?"

"Shuichi," Kurama answered.

"No one's supposed to find out he's a demon," Yusuke snapped. "So call him Shuichi in school. Got it?"

"Yeah, I got it," Kuwabara said, studying Yusuke. "Man, are you in a bad mood." Absently, he picked up some of the notes on the desk, his eyes flying open wide as he read. "Woah! These are some serious love notes! You demon dog, you!"

While Yusuke and Kuwabara shuffled through the pile of notes, Kurama studied the other students gathered in small groups around the school yard. While he sat with Yusuke, he was confident they would not be approached. Most of the students gave the infamous fighter a great deal of space; even the upperclassmen. Though whether they did it out of respect or fear, Kurama wasn't sure. One group of upperclassmen gave Yusuke's table hate-filled glares as they ate. The largest, obviously their leader, sported a jagged scar running just under one eye and a distorted nose that had to have been broken at least six times. He made a comment to the others and they all looked directly at Kurama and laughed. Kurama calmly stared back at them until they looked away.

"Well, if Kurama will, I will," Yusuke relented, bringing Kurama's attention back to their conversation. "Besides, I'd like to see how the great fox demon handles a simple Phy Ed game like baseball."

"Don't get your hopes up, Yusuke," Kurama said. "Remember, I'm trying to blend in. I'll be playing completely as a human."

"Yeah, but I bet you could still beat the pants off Kuwabara. Even with a bat in his hands."

"You've got yourself a bet, Urameshi," Kuwabara laughed. "My bat against your pitch."

As they haggled the details of their wager, Kurama glanced over at the group of upperclassmen again. Although the others lost interest, the leader was still glaring at him. Kurama had a feeling he would be seeing a lot more of that scarred face.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The locker room was packed with rowdy teenage boys, anxious to prove themselves on the field. Since there were no girls to ogle Kurama, his classmates seemed more comfortable around him. The ones from Kuwabara's class gave him curious looks, but having walked in between Urameshi and Kuwabara, no one dared talk to him.

Yusuke kept up a running commentary about Kuwabara's lack of baseball finesse as they headed for the field before Kurama even had a chance to collect his uniform and remove his jacket. The locker room cleared as he neatly folded his school clothes and donned his baseball clothes. Suddenly, he froze at the feel of fingers running through his hair.

"What's the matter," a gruff voice whispered just behind him. With a quick jerk, Kurama's head was forced back and he could see one scarred cheek. "Did your bodyguard boyfriends leave you all alone and helpless?" He continued winding his fingers around the red hair until the stress on the scalp finally made Kurama wince. "And with hair like this, I think you may be in the wrong locker room."

Kurama could smell the stink of his breath and willed his eyes not to tear from the pain of his tightly pulled hair. He would've liked nothing more than to remove the boy's hand at the wrist, but knew he couldn't. Kurama continued to stare at the ceiling even when the other boy rested his chin on his shoulder to look down at his chest.

"Well, you're either a poor excuse for a girl...or the prettiest boy I've ever seen," he said. "Either way, I'm sure you wouldn't want anything to happen to this cute face of yours." He gave Kurama's cheek a pinch before shoving him forward into the lockers.

Kurama turned to face his attacker and ran a hand through his rumpled hair. The upperclassman was only an inch or so taller, but was built like a brick wall. Absently, Kurama wondered if he'd ever fought Yusuke or Kuwabara, or if he only picked on people he thought to be weak.

"Cut your hair by tomorrow, or I'll do it for you," the upperclassman ordered. "And that's a promise." With a flick of his wrist, a switchblade appeared in his hand. An evil grin spread across his face mirroring the cold glint in his eyes. He spun the blade between his fingers before it disappeared. He then spread his hands like a magician at the end of a difficult trick.

Kurama's face showed neither fear nor amusement. He just stood against the lockers, arms relaxed at his side, and stared at the boy. In this human body, he was younger than him, yet his demon spirit was much, much older. This whelp's petty threats didn't bother him one bit. Disappointment was plain on the upperclassman's face. He was used to people either cowering in fear of him or flying at him in a rage. Since Kurama refused to do either, he was at a loss as to how to handle this strange, red-haired underclassman.

"You are a freak!" he spat, then headed toward the door. Over his shoulder he added, "I'm looking forward to scalping that pretty, red head of yours...unless you do as I say and cut it first."

* * *

"Where have you been?" Yusuke demanded once Kurama finally emerged onto the baseball field. Teams had already been picked, so he leaned against the fence next to Kurama as they waited for their turn at bat.

"I had a visitor," Kurama said, nodding toward the group of upperclassmen watching them from a small grove of trees.

"Figures," Yusuke said with a snort. "Muto and his goons. What did he want?"

"To style my hair," Kurama answered with a sly grin which made Yusuke laugh.

Yusuke and Kuwabara were a little disappointed in Kurama's baseball ability. He made catches only if they were easy ones, but didn't throw as hard as they knew he could. He hit the ball, but usually got out soon afterwards.

"He's just holding back," Yusuke told Kuwabara.

"He has to be," he agreed. "I know he's stronger than that.

"Good game, Shuichi," one of their classmates called as they headed back toward the locker room. Kurama gave him a nod, but Yusuke looked puzzled.

"Why didn't you play harder?" he asked.

"Why didn't you? Kurama countered.

"Yeah, well..." Yusuke began sheepishly, "...even so, a lot of regular humans can hit and catch better than you were doing."

"Good dive for that one ball, Shuichi," another student said. "I thought you had it there for a second."

Kurama gave another nod and realization dawned on Yusuke's face. "Now I get it! You weren't just trying to blend in. You were trying to make friends!"

"Making peace is more like it," he responded. "It will be much easier here if I don't have to keep looking over my shoulder for someone wanting to prove something."

Yusuke thought this over during their afternoon classes. He'd never tried to make peace with anyone. He was always the one wanting to prove himself...prove he was the strongest, toughest kid around. But now that he had powers others only dreamed of, maybe he didn't have to prove anything anymore. Maybe he should follow Kurama's lead and try making peace instead of making people afraid of him.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Miss Yukimura, would you please take this note to Mr. Janahasi?" Mr. Nakatu asked near the end of the day.

"Oh...okay," she answered hesitantly, glancing up at the clock. Kurama studied Keiko. Unlike her normal efficient, helpful manner, she took her time putting her books away before taking the teacher's note. She paused at the door and glanced back at Yusuke, who was idly playing with his pencil while staring out the window. Kurama caught sight of the strange look in her eyes and the way she chewed at her bottom lip before she closed the door behind her.

Kurama raised his hand. "May I be excused?"

"Yes, of course," Mr. Nakatu answered, but Kurama was already headed out the door.

He followed the sound of Keiko's hurried footsteps as she practically ran down the next hallway. Rounding the corner, he saw her glancing in every doorway and side hall as if expecting someone to be there. She quietly ducked into a classroom he assumed belonged to Mr. Janahasi, so he leaned against the wall a couple classrooms away to wait for her. Scanning the hallway, he saw and felt nothing evil in the area.

"Kur...Shuichi!" Keiko whispered, looking around in a panic. "What are you doing here? Hurry and get back to the classroom."

"Halt!" a demanding voice called before she reached Kurama. From the shadows of an empty classroom, the scarred-faced Muto emerged. "What are you doing out of class? Show me your hall pass."

"I...I was j...just," Keiko stammered.

"She was delivering a message from the teacher," Kurama said, pushing himself away from the wall. "You can go ask Mr. Nakatu if you don't believe me."

"I'd rather talk to her," Muto said, leering at Keiko.

"I've got to get back to class," she said. She lowered her head and tried to pass by, hugging the wall as close as she could, but Muto's hand shot out and easily encircled her arm.

He tapped a notepad against the band around his bicep. "Do you know what this means? It means I'm in charge of the hallways. What I say is law, and I say I haven't given you permission to leave yet." He pulled her closer, his lips just inches from her ear. "And I won't until you agree to dump Urameshi and go out with me."

"Stop, you're hurting me," Keiko cried weakly, making feeble attempts to pull her arm from his strong grip.

"I can be a lot nicer to you," he purred. Then he yanked her arm up until she was standing on her tiptoes. "Or I can make sure you regret every day you say no to me."

"Let her go," Kurama ordered. His voice sounded calm and even, yet his fists were clenched so tight his knuckles were white. He couldn't stand those who bullied the weak and innocent. To him, they were the lowest life forms imaginable – demon or human.

Muto let Keiko back down, but didn't release her. He glared at Kurama, a sneer curling his lips. "Are you planning on making me, girly boy?"

He took a couple steps closer to Keiko and her attacker. "Let go and I won't have to."

"No!" Keiko whispered. "You can't fight here." Her eyes pleaded with Kurama, and he understood. Fighting in school could get them expelled. Although it didn't really matter to Kurama if he finished school, it was very important to Keiko.

"Don't worry. I won't strike a hall monitor on duty."

Muto laughed. "Pretty tough talk for such a weakling. But you don't even have to lay a finger on me. One word from me and it's a one way ticket out of school. Isn't that right?" With his free hand, he took hold of Keiko's chin and forced her head up and down in agreement.

The fear and panic in Keiko's eyes told Kurama the whole story. Muto had been using his power to keep her from telling anyone she was being harrassed. If it came down to her word against his, the position of Hall Monitor would definitely throw things in Muto's favor. Keiko was trapped.

"But you're not always on duty," Kurama warned, shoving his fists in his pockets before he lost control of his temper and strangled this pitiful excuse for a human. "Let her go, leave her alone, and I'll forget what I heard and saw."

The fist flew so fast, it was a mere blur before it was buried deep in the blue school uniform. For a couple seconds, nobody moved. Time stood perfectly still. Suddenly, Keiko's hand flew to her mouth to stifle the scream threatening to erupt.

Muto removed his hand from Kurama's stomach, surprised the smaller man wasn't laid out on the floor yet. Kurama closed his eyes and bent over slightly, but didn't make a sound.

"So, you're not as much of a wimp as I thought," the upperclassman chuckled. "You may not be very strong, but you can sure take a hit. Is that why Urameshi lets you hang around him? Sort of a personal punching bag?" He smiled as he looked Kurama up and down. "Not a bad idea. I could handle beating up on you on a daily basis. Especially since you can't do anything about it."

"Like I said," Kurama reminded him in a deadly serious voice, "you're not always on duty." He stood up straight and stared Muto down until the bully took an involuntary step backwards at the dangerous glint in the green eyes.

Just then, the dismissal bell rang and the hall immediately filled with bodies and the sound of relieved students headed for the outdoor sunshine. Muto gave Keiko a little shove into Kurama. He managed to take his hands from his pockets just in time to catch her before she fell.

"Go ahead," Muto laughed. "Run back to Urameshi. Just remember what I said, girl. And you," he added, pointing a finger at Kurama, "had better tell Urameshi to watch your back. Or you may get more than your hair cut."

Kurama didn't respond, yet showed no fear. Muto was smart enough not to do anything to them in a hallway full of students. Slowly, he put a steadying arm around Keiko's shoulders and deliberately turned their backs on him as they headed back toward the classroom. Muto's laughter followed them down the hall. As soon as they turned the corner and were out of sight, Kurama leaned heavily against the wall, pain obvious on his face.

"Suichi!" Keiko gasped as he slid down the wall to sit on the floor.

"I'll be fine," he reassured her. "He just surprised me. I didn't realize a normal human could hit that fast...or hard."

"Are you sure he's not at least part demon?" Keiko asked, shooting an angry look through the safety of the wall. "Or being posessed or..."

"How long?" Kurama interrupted.

Keiko looked down at him, confused. "How long what?"

"How long has he been harrassing you?"

She sighed and sat down next to him against the wall. "Since school started," she admitted. "At first, I thought he just flirted with all the underclassman girls. Then I found out it was just me. He's just so creepy and won't take no for an answer." She covered her face with her hands to hide her tears. "Why me?" she moaned.

Kurama didn't want to point out the possibility it might be her association with Yusuke. Their relationship had enough bumps and detours as it was. No point adding another reason that Yusuke was the source of all her unhappiness.

"There you are!"

Keiko gave an involuntary gasp at the sound of Yusuke's voice. Quickly, she wiped her face and ran a hand over her hair before he reached them.

"Mr. Nakatu was all worried you'd gotten lost or something," Yusuke told Kurama. "But I told him you were probably just sick from listening to him yap all day." He laughed at his own joke, but stopped when neither of them joined in. He eyed them suspiciously as Keiko, realizing she was still sitting next to Kurama, leaped to her feet. "What's going on here?"

"Yusuke..." Keiko began, struggling for an explanation. "Kurama...I mean, Shuichi...well, he was...I mean..."

"I ran into Muto," Kurama said, slowly getting to his feet, his hand protecting his sore stomach. "He hits almost as hard as you do, Yusuke," he added with a slight grin.

"I wouldn't know," Yusuke said. "Every time we were supposed to fight, he'd conveniently be called away for an emergency of some kind. Now, I just ignore him." He narrowed his eyes at Kurama. "You didn't...you know..." He snapped his wrist as if holding an invisible whip.

"Of course not." Kurama didn't want to admit his Rose Whip had been confiscated by Koenma before returning to the Human World. Without it, he was forced to rely on his human strength...and demon intelligence.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Kuwabara met them at the school's entrance. "Hey, I wanna see Kurama's new place!" he said as they left the school grounds together.

"Yeah, me too!" Yusuke added.

"Well..." Keiko began with hesitation, "...I think I'll just head home. I need to have supper ready for when my parents get done work."

"Then we'll all escort you home," Kurama said. "It's on the way."

As they walked, Kurama sensed someone was following them. He glanced at Yusuke to see if he noticed, but Keiko had his full attention. By looking back at the reflection in a store window, he confirmed his suspicion. Muto and his friends were keeping pace with them on the other side of the street about a half block back.

"Thanks for walking me home," Keiko said as she unlocked her front door. "I'll have to see your apartment another time."

"I think you should stay and help, Yusuke," Kurama suggested. "My apartment isn't far from here. You can join us after her parents return."

"I don't..." Keiko began.

"Well, if Yusuke doesn't want to, I will. It just doesn't feel right leaving you here alone." Kurama gave Keiko the slightest nod.

"That would be nice," Keiko agreed, trusting Kurama even though she didn't understand why.

"No, I'll stay," Yusuke said, throwing Kurama a dirty look. When Kurama smiled back and winked, Yusuke groaned, knowing he'd been manipulated.

Although hidden around different corners, Muto's group was still there when Kurama and Kuwabara left.

"Looks like Yusuke's gonna get some action," Kuwabara said. "Wanna stick around to watch?"

Kurama was relieved to see Kuwabara pound one fist into the other. For a second, he thought he was talking about Keiko. "You noticed our shadows, too?"

"Kinda hard not to," Kuwabara said. "But it's probably a good thing there's three of them. A one-on-one fight wouldn't be very fair for the other guy."

"There's four," Kurama corrected.

Kuwabara glanced over his shoulder and caught sight of the one he missed before. "Even better! Man, I wish it was me they were waiting for. Urameshi gets all the luck!"

Kurama shook his head. He wasn't about to tell Kuwabara about Keiko's encounter with Muto, or his fears of what he might try if Keiko had been left alone.

* * *

"Wow! This is some place!" Kuwabara exclaimed, impressed by both the size and comforts. "How can a kid afford a place like this?"

"It was sort of a gift," Kurama answered, opening the drapes to let the sunlight stream in. He wished he could see Keiko's house from his apartment, but another building blocked his view.

"It may be a great lookin' apartment, but you sure don't got anything to eat," Kuwabara said, searching the refrigerator and cupboards of the small kitchen.

"No. I haven't done much shopping yet. Why don't you stay here in case Yusuke comes, while I go get some food?"

Instead of going to the small market only a block away, Kurama headed back towards Keiko's. A thought had just occurred to him. If Muto was smart, he could have his friends lure Yusuke away from Keiko, leaving her defenseless. Everyone knew he couldn't resist a good fight. He just hoped a high school bully wasn't that good of a strategist.

Muto was just where Kurama had seen him before, staked out across the street and around a corner. By going through a clothing store and out the back door, he was able to sneak up behind the stalker.

"You're waiting needlessly," Kurama said over Muto's shoulder. The older boy jumped and spun around, fists raised and ready.

"What're you doing here?" he demanded.

Kurama kept his hands in his pockets, his weight casually resting on one foot. "Yusuke won't leave Keiko alone. You may as well call your boys off and go home."

Muto's surprise quickly turned to anger. "I don't know how you spotted us or how you snuck up behind me, but a wimp like you has no chance against me on the street. Stay out of this if you don't want your girly face to look like ground meat!"

"You're welcome to try," Kurama grinned. "Now that you're not on duty."

"This is gonna be fun," Muto declared with a yellow-toothed grin.

"I'll be sure to take it easy on you."

"Well, I won't!"

Muto launched himself at Kurama. But this time, the demon was more than prepared for his unnatural speed. With his hands still in his pockets, Kurama jumped straight up into the air and over his attacker's head. Muto, having thrown his entire weight behind his punch, fell forward onto the cement when his fist met only air.

"I'm giving you one last chance," Kurama warned. "Leave Keiko alone and go home."

"I don't take orders from pretty boys," Muto growled as he got to his feet. There was an unmistakable click, and Kurama caught a glint of sunlight off metal. Muto had his switchblade partially hidden behind his leg. "You know what, pretty boy? I think it's time for that hair cut!"

The blade swung around so fast, it was merely a blur of reflected light. Kurama took a step back to let the knife pass just inches from his chest. Before Muto could bring his arm back, Kurama's leg came up and hit his hand hard enough to send the switchblade flying into the air. The foot then descended, catching the side of Muto's neck with the heel, forcing him to the ground. Muto was stunned to realize he was efficiently pinned. One cheek was pressed into the rough pavement, the other held in place by the hard sole of Kurama's shoe.

"Wha-?" Kurama leaned harder and the rest of his exclamation came out as a scream of unbearable pain.

"I'll be keeping my hair the way it is, thank you," Kurama said calmly. "I've had it for a long time, and I've grown quite attached to it.

Muto kicked and struggled against the foot holding him in place. When he realized it was impossible to move that foot without breaking his own jaw, he tried beating and scratching Kurama's other leg. Kurama simply picked up that foot and placed it squarely on Muto's back. Now, he couldn't move, couldn't talk, and struggled to breathe.

"You are the lowest life form I've ever come across. You may have speed and power, but instead of using it to improve yourself or benefit those around you, you bully and harass an innocent girl. It would be one thing if you were truly interested in her. But you're just using her to hurt Yusuke because you're too cowardly to try fighting him yourself. That's what makes you pathetic and weak."

Kurama lightly jumped off Muto's body now that he stopped struggling. He lay still, gasping for breath and bleeding from both his nose and from where the sharp edges of the sidewalk were ground into his cheek, obscuring the existing scar. Kurama squatted down and lifted his ruined face so he was sure he had his full attention.

"Here's what's going to happen. I'm going to let you leave with nothing more than your cheek as a reminder. You're never to set foot in that school again. You're never going to talk or even look at Keiko again. I know you have no family, so there's nothing keeping you here. Leave. Leave today. If I ever see your face again, you couldn't fatham what I could do to you. And that's a promise."

Kurama left Muto in a sniveling heap. Picking up the switchblade, he retracted the knife before bending the silver metal in half. Dropping the useless weapon on Muto's back, he walked away.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Where've you been?" Yusuke asked when Kurama returned to his apartment. Yusuke and Kuwabara made themselves at home, watching anime on television and eating from what looked like takeout containers from Keiko's father's restaurant. "I tried to keep Kuwabara from eating all the food Mr. Yukimura sent with me, but he was just about to eat the furniture."

"I tried to save you the sweet buns, but Urameshi kept stuffing them into his big, fat mouth!"

Kurama enjoyed the commadaric arguing that continued while he restocked the refrigerator with drinks and the table with snacks. Yusuke grabbed a bag of chips and Kuwabara ripped open a bag of cookies. Kurama was just about to open a can of tea when the doorbell rang. He knew who it was even before he opened the door.

"Keiko, Botan, what are you doing here?" Kurama asked.

"Oh, I knew Keiko wouldn't want to miss your house warming party," Botan said, handing Kurama a potted plant. "And, I knew she wouldn't feel safe walking here herself to thank you," she added in a whisper.

Botan dropped onto the couch between Yusuke and Kuwabara and grabbed the cookie Kuwabara was just about to bite into. He started to complain until Botan gave him a wink and also grabbed the chip Yusuke had flipped into the air before he could catch it in his mouth. The three ended up enjoying their snacks and laughing and teasing Kurama about the anime they were watching about a nine-tailed fox demon.

Keiko sat at the small kitchen table with a can of soda clasp between her nervous hands. Kurama sat across from her and placed a calming hand over hers before she could crush the can with their tension.

"I'm sorry," Keiko whispered, unable to look Kurama in the eyes. "I didn't mean for anyone else to get involved in my problems."

"But that's just it. Your problems are our problems. That's what it means to have friends. But don't you dare think any of this is your fault. You can't be responsible for the actions of others, only for your own reaction to them. And I understand why you didn't tell..." Kurama paused as Yusuke's face rose at the edge of the table, "...anyone."

"Tell anyone what?" Yusuke asked from between clenched teeth, his eyes glaring at Kurama's hand still covering Keiko's. Kurama slowly and deliberately withdrew his hand and placed it in his lap.

Yusuke's expression softened. "Does this have anything to do with you kicking the snot out of Muto?"

"You saw?" Kurama asked, shocked. He hadn't sensed Yusuke at all while he was fighting.

"Well, yeah." Yusuke dropped into the chair next to Keiko. "Who do you think took care of his buddies waiting around the corner?"

"Except the one you missed," Kuwabara called from the couch. "That one was all mine!"

"But what I don't understand, is why you even bothered," Yusuke said. "Why would the great demon Kurama bother with a low-life thug like Muto? Sure, he's a nuisance, but I never pegged you for bullying humans, even if he started it."

"Muto deserved whatever Kurama did to him," Keiko said, shaking with anger. Yusuke leaned slightly away from her, surprised by the uncommon venom in her voice.

"Okay, what am I missing?" Yusuke asked, looking from the hate on Keiko's face to Kurama's unreadable one. "Come on, Keiko. Kurama? Somebody tell me what's going on!"

Keiko took a deep, steadying breath. "Muto's been harrassing me since the beginning of school," she admitted. "It started out pretty harmless, but it's been getting worse and worse. He's been using his position as Hall Monitor, trying to threaten me into going out with him. He said if I don't, he'd get me expelled from school."

"He what?" Kuwabara shouted, jumping from the couch to join the conversation in the kitchen. "Why didn't you say something?"

Yusuke was silent, his mouth hanging open. Kurama watched a slight tremor starting from his feet and moving up through his body. His hands and teeth clenched against his growing fury and he stood up so fast, his chair flew across the kitchen.

"I'm going to kill that guy!" he yelled. "That slug is going to wish he'd never been born by the time I get done with him!"

"Which is exactly why Koenma sent Kurama to deal with him instead," Botan said. "Oh, that reminds me!" She reached inside her short jacket and pulled out a beautiful, red rose, handing it to Kurama. "I believe this belongs to you."

"So he's gone for good then?" Kurama asked. Botan nodded. He deeply inhaled the fragrance of the rose, closing his eyes in contentment. He hadn't realized just how much he missed its constant presence. With a satisfied smile, he placed the flower in its rightful place beneath his thick, red hair.

"Will someone please explain what's going on around here?" Yusuke yelled, pulling his hair in frustration.

"It's really quite simple," Botan began. "Koenma knew if you'd found out someone had been bothering Keiko, there was a 95% chance you would end up killing him. Killing a human without it being self-defense is a big Spirit Detective no-no. Koenma would have no choice but to rebuke your detective right and take you back to Spirit World, leaving the Human World without a defender. There are many demons just waiting for a chance to take over this world. Without you to protect it, this world would end in utter catastrophe."

"So Koenma sent me," Kurama continued. "Keiko knew she couldn't tell you, because she knew you would react exactly as you did. So she suffered in silence to keep you from killing another human, even though she didn't know the extent of those consequences. But it was only a matter of time before you found out Muto was trying to use Keiko to get back at you, so Koenma decided to do a little interferance. And according to Botan, Muto's gone for good."

"Yup. Lit out to live with an uncle in southern Japan. You won't be seeing him ever again," Botan said, giving Keiko a hug around her shoulders.

Yusuke mulled things over before speaking. "So you're saying, Koenma sent Kurama to save Keiko for me because I wouldn't be able to handle my temper?"

"Bingo!" Botan said with a thumbs-up sign. "When it comes to Keiko's happiness and safety, you tend to be a bit hot-headed."

"Well of course I am! She's my..." he stopped himself before saying the word that naturally wanted to pop out of his mouth, "...friend, after all!" He turned to Keiko, his anger visibly sliding away. "But don't ever leave yourself in that kind of situation again. If you need help, you have to ask for it. If not from me, then from someone else. Kuwabara, Kurama, Botan...anyone! Don't think you need to go through something like this alone. That just gives the other guy more power than they deserve!"

Keiko finally looked up and smiled. "I know that now. I'm sorry I put everyone through so much trouble. But I promise I won't keep problems to myself any more. I'm so lucky to have such great..." she looked pointedly at Yusuke and gave him her sweetest smile, "...friends."


	7. Author's Note

This is another story I found from the depths of my computer that I started at some point but hadn't finished yet. I'm not exactly sure when I started it, but I know it was over 10 years ago, and with paper and pencil. When I converted my documents from computer to computer over the years, a lot of my stories' formats became compromised...you know, with those annoying symbols I don't think even exist in the human world. So I was lucky to have saved my paper copies so I could fill in the blank spots the transitions made. Now that I'm getting my stories online, I hope to never lose them again!

Now a word about bullying and harassment. I can't say I've ever been the victim of serious bullying. I don't know exactly how it feels or what it does to a person's soul. But I do know that remaining silent shouldn't be your reaction to it (unless, of course, you have a hot-headed, impulsive friend like Yusuke, and you need to save them from themselves...then tell someone else!). To a bully, silence can be misunderstood as consent, and they don't deserve that. And if you do tell someone and nothing gets done about it, tell someone else, and keep telling people until you find someone to help you stop it. Get advice from people you trust. Become stronger yourself so you can overcome it. Just don't ever feel like you deserve to be bullied or harassed! And don't keep your feelings bottled up until you crack and do something you may regret later. Your life is precious, so don't let yourself suffer.

Much love,

D


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